OXNARD, Calif. — Having the head trainer escort you off the field on a cart is not the sort of drive you want to take to begin the second week of training camp.

DeMarcus Lawrence had to be anxious as he awaited X-ray results on his injured right foot. Word came down Tuesday evening that the rookie defensive end had a fracture that would require surgery and delay his debut anywhere from eight to 12 weeks.

Still, he was in relatively good spirits when he spoke to head coach Jason Garrett.

“I will be back, Coach,’’ Lawrence told Garrett before he returned to Dallas for Thursday’s surgery. “I will be back in eight weeks.’’

It’s too early to predict where Lawrence’s return falls in that timetable. It’s not too early to discuss the significance of his loss at right defensive end and its impact on the roster.

It’s true that Lawrence has yet to take an NFL snap. But he has more upside and potential as a pass rusher than anyone else on the Cowboys’ roster. That’s why the team admittedly overpaid to move up into the top of the second round to select him.

Garrett and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli discussed the team’s options. At the moment, that is veteran Jeremy Mincey — who was starting ahead of Lawrence in this camp — and Martez Wilson. He also mentioned using linebacker Kyle Wilber at that spot when the Cowboys are in their nickel defense.

First up is Mincey. The Cowboys have tried to sign him on several occasions in the past, and it never worked out. Garrett calls him a positive influence who practices as hard as anyone on the team.

“He has a motor on him,’’ Garrett said. “He’s got kind of this infectious way about him. He’s got a real passion and spirit for playing.

“At the end of it, he seems to be around the ball a lot, both making plays in the run and affecting the quarterback. When you bring a guy in like that, who’s got some skins on the wall, who’s been around good teams, good players, has been a good player himself, that can be a real positive influence on a unit that’s fairly young.’’

Wilson was among the parade of 21 defensive linemen to join the team last season.

“Wilson has some speed on the edge,’’ Marinelli said. “We’ve just got to keep him going. And the young player [Dartwan] Bush just keeps jumping out, just keeps showing up.’’

Wilber is likely to start at outside linebacker for the Cowboys. But Marinelli likes his speed and talks about the strides the player has made being used in the right defensive end role in the nickel defense.

“I feel good about that because he trained as an end,’’ Marinelli said. “He played 16 games as a defensive end. Usually, you don’t like that as much because you don’t get the timing. There are so many other things that are involved in that.

“But he’s got some good stuff to him, and he’s smart enough to play a little dual role like that.’’

George Selvie starts at left defensive end and is the one other player the Cowboys have on the roster who Marinelli believes could flip to the right side. But he prefers not to move him.

The club will always explore outside options to enhance its roster. Selvie was one of those additions during last year’s camp. But for now, the focus is within.

“I think there are a couple of young guys in here,’’ Marinelli said. “We’ve just got to develop these guys now. That’s the biggest thing.’’

Tyrone Crawford was lost for the season on the first day of training camp last season. Like Lawrence, he’s from Boise State. The two spoke after Lawrence went down.

“I feel for him,’’ Crawford said. “I was there last year with the Achilles. I went and talked to him, and I told him everything that I heard that was positive for me and that helped me get through it.

“I’m going to be shooting him a text and giving him a call, make sure that he’s staying up and make sure he stays in the books.”

Lawrence will return this season. But for now, the Cowboys must piece together their defensive line without him.

“We like him,’’ Marinelli said. “It’s tough for the kid. But what I believe is we just keep working.

“I like the group. We’ve got a lot of young legs and hungry guys, and I think we’ve got some good veterans, so the mix we get is the mix that’s got to stand up and go.

“It’s tough. But you just move on.’’

Catch David Moore on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) with The Musers at 9:35 a.m. and The Hardline at 4:15 p .m. every Monday through Friday during training camp.

The replacements

Here are the three players who will handle the right defensive end spot in DeMarcus Lawrence’s absence:

Player

CS*

Moore comment

Jeremy Mincey

20

Has only five sacks in the last two seasons

Martez Wilson

5

Played for three teams last season

Kyle Wilber

2

Hasn’t had a sack in his last 10 games

CS- career sacks

Missing time

DeMarcus Lawrence is the third defensive player the Cowboys have taken in the second round since 2010. None of them made it through their rookie season unscathed:

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